Improvement in hop-frames



,i ,ftent-s @ateatfrn.

yJACOB B. VAN DEWERKER, OFA COBLESKILI., NEW YORK.I

Lam Patent No'. 63,119, naar Marel.' 19, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOP-1:"RilltllfAS.

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'.IO ALL WIFIOMI IT MAY CONCERN: I A

Be it known that I, .Tacos B. VAN Dnwnnnnn, of Coblcskill, inthe county of Schoharie, and State of New York, have invented'a new and improved Hop-Frame; and I do hereby declare that the-following is a full, clear, and enact description thereof, which'will enable others skilled in the' art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,i`orming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a' new'and improved frame for training hops, and has for its object simplicity and economy in construction and facilityn training the vines thereon, and removing the bearing portions of the vines when in a proper condition to gather or harvest. In the accompanying drawingsl Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of myinvention. v

Figure-2, a side view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like partis. y

A represents stakes orV poles, which are sunk vertically into the earth at equal distance apart in check-rows. -These stakes ,or poles may bc of any suitable wood and should be about equal in height. In each stake or pole,

a short distance from the upper ends thereof, there are driven. two nails, a, and on ea-ch nail one end of a bar, B, is supported b'y a hook,'b, said bars beingisustained near theirouter ends 'by staples-or hooks, of, secured to two'posts adjoining, the :staples -or hooks b being -highenonfthe stakesv or polesvthan the nails a, solas to give,

the bars B an inclined position.'4 The two bars B project 'from each stake' or pole nearly at right angles with each other, and vsaid bars overlap eachother and are also out of line Wit'heaoh other, as shown clearly in fig; 1.

.I Four hop vines are allowed to run vup each stake lor pole, lthat number generallyconsti-tuting whatis termed a hill, and when they reach the two bars B B, there are' trained upon them two on each. ',If the vines havey a tendency toy grow beyond the bars B, they simply depend therefrom, as shown in fig-1,' the'.vines. on one bar not interfering in the least with those on adjoining bars in consequence of the b ars beinglontof-line with 'each other. By this simple arrangement the sun and air have freeacoess to all part's of every vine in a. field. The

` framing is strong and durable, 'cannot bepprostrat'ed by the Wind, and in harvesting the hops the bearing portions of the vines, Which'are all on the bars B may be readily removed by severing the vines at thejunction of the bars B with the stakes or poles, and detaching and removing the bars B with the 'upper parts of `the 4vines upon them, the lower parts of the vines being left on lthel roots. Thisimprovement obviates the necessity of cutting the vinesnear the roots, which injures the latter, as the vines whenl lthus cut bleed 4nroinselv and the roots are impoverished thereby. i 4

4Having thus described my invention, l claim as new, and deslre to secure by Letters Patent-'- l ,A hop-frame composed of the verticalstalres or poles'A, and inclined bars B, the latter being connected to the former, and arranged relatively therewith snbstantiallyas shown and described.

The above specification of myinvention signed'by me this 28th day of November, 1866. I J. B. :VAN DEWERKER.

Witnesses:

WM. F. McNAMAnA, ALX. F. ROBERTS. 

